National Science Foundation Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1978
Public Law 95-99 · H.R. 4991 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 15, 1977 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Olin Teague (D-TX-6)
Cosponsors (2): Rep. Ray Thornton, Rep. Harold Hollenbeck
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
National Science Foundation Authorization Act - Authorizes to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation $879,350,000 for fiscal year 1978.
Authorizes the Foundation to increase support for cooperative research projects involving researchers from the industrial and academic sectors. Directs the Foundation to support activities designed to accomplish specified goals, including: (1) the improvement of public understanding of public policy issues involving science and technology; and (2) the facilitation of participation of qualified scientists, engineers and students in public activities aimed at the resolution of public policy issues having significant scientific and technical aspects.
Directs the Foundation to establish a Resource Center for Science and Engineering at an educational institution demonstrating a commitment to encouraging low-income and minority students.
Authorizes the appropriation of sums not to exceed $4,900,000 for fiscal year 1978 for expenses of the Foundation incurred outside the United States.
Directs the Foundation to issue instructions to grantees covering the protection of students and procedures for involving students in pre-college education research and development, pilot-testing, evaluation, and revision of experimental and innovative pre-college curriculum projects funded by the Foundation.
Requires financial disclosure, and disclosure of academic affiliations, of National Science Foundation employees participating in peer review groups evaluating applications for scientific research awards.
Restricts the transfer of funds among certain categories of activities.
Requires the Director of the Foundation to keep specified Senate and House committees informed of all Foundation activities.
Requires the National Science Board to submit an annual report to the President for submission to the Congress which deals with policy issues which affect the Foundation.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.
- Aug 15, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-99.
- Aug 6, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Aug 5, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.
- Aug 4, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.
- Jul 20, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-504.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-504.
- May 26, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- May 5, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 855.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Apr 18, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Mar 25, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Mar 24, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #101 (378-29).House roll call 101
- Mar 18, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- Mar 14, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.